38 days until Saints season opener: Every player to wear No. 38
There are 38 days that separate us from the regular 2025 season opener for the New Orleans Saints. Newcomer Jayden Price, fresh off a standout season with the UFL Arlington Renegades, is wearing No. 38 at the moment. Price is trying to become the 17th player to wear 38 for the Saints in the regular season. Here's a look through the whole list.
Saints' History of No. 38
Phil Vandersea was the first to sport a 38 for the Saints, appearing in eight games during the inaugural season of 1967 for the franchise. Tony Baker was the first offensive player to wear a 38 jersey. Baker played 24 games over three seasons with the Saints. He earned a Pro Bowl in 1969 with 642 yards on the ground and 994 yards from scrimmage, both the highest production of his eight year career in the NFL. Running back Bill Butler was the first player drafted by New Orleans to wear No. 38. A fifth-round choice in 1972, Butler played 41 games over three seasons, second most among all players who wore 38 for the Saints, and accounted for 1,009 total yards and five scores over that span.
The Saints used the first overall choice in the 1981 NFL draft on George Rogers, a Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the South Carolina Gamecocks. Rogers didn't disappoint as a rookie, scoring 13 touchdowns and leading the NFL with 1,674 yards rushing while winning 1981 NFL Rookie of the Year. He'd repeat Pro Bowl honors in the strike-shortened campaign of 1982, then became the first back in franchise history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons with 1,144 in 1983.
Unfortunately, a drug problem derailed a potential Hall of Fame career for Rogers. Despite 914 rushing yards in 1984, Rogers was traded to the Washington Redskins that offseason. He'd earn a Super Bowl XXII championship ring with Washington in 1987 before retiring. Rogers is still fourth on the Saints all-time rushing list, with his 1,674 rushing yards as a rookie still a team single-season record. His 51 games are the highest for any Saint to wear No. 38. Rogers was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 1992, becoming only the second running back to receive the honor at the time.
Since George Rogers, a dozen players have worn No. 38 for the Saints over the last 36 years. Of those, 10 wore the jersey for one year or less. Only Othello Henderson (2 years, 9 games) and Travaris Cadet (2 years, 17 games) were the exceptions. Cadet was a Saint for a total of four seasons, donning 38 during his second stint with the team. Usama Young also played four years in New Orleans, but only wore No. 38 during his first year with the team in 2007. Since 2021, Jeff Heath, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Millard Bradford have all worn 38 for only one season. Former UFL star cornerback Jayden Price now gets his shot, hoping to crack the roster after a strong spring campaign with the Arlington Renegades.
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